Houthis Signal Openness to Saudi Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Houthis say they are open to talks with Saudi Arabia but will continue attacks unless demands are met, citing recent strikes and economic pressure.
Yemen's Houthi group has said it remains willing to engage in dialogue with Saudi Arabia, even as tensions between the two sides escalate sharply. In a statement posted on social media, the group's chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, said a Houthi delegation has been in contact with regional and international parties over recent developments.
Abdul-Salam stressed that the door to negotiations has not been closed, while accusing Saudi Arabia of rejecting talks and preparing for further military action in Yemen. He described recent Houthi strikes on Saudi-linked ships and forces as retaliation for attacks on Houthi-held areas, particularly a July 13 strike on Sanaa airport that prevented an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation from landing.
The Houthi spokesperson also accused Saudi Arabia of intensifying economic pressure on Houthi-controlled regions, including restricting shipments to the Red Sea port of Hodeidah and targeting banks and businesses. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia on the Houthi remarks.
The statement comes amid a sharp escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The group has recently stepped up missile and drone attacks on government-held areas in Yemen, targets inside Saudi Arabia, and Saudi-linked commercial shipping.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of the north, including the capital Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government. A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 expired six months later without a formal extension, but a fragile de facto ceasefire largely held for years before the recent escalation.